Certain refrigerator appliances include water filter assemblies for filtering water. Water filter assemblies can filter water entering the refrigerator appliances in order to provide filtered water to various refrigerator appliance components, such as an ice maker and/or a water dispenser. Such filtering can improve a taste and/or an appearance of water within the refrigerator appliances.
Certain water filter assemblies include a manifold and a filter cartridge. The manifold is mounted to a cabinet of the refrigerator appliance and directs unfiltered water into the filter cartridge and filtered water out of the filter cartridge. The filter cartridge includes a filter media, such as an activated carbon block, a pleated polymer sheet, a spun cord material, or a melt blown material. The filter media is positioned within the filter cartridge and filters water passing therethrough.
Over time, the filter media will lose effectiveness. For example, pores of the filter media can become clogged or the filter media can become saturated with contaminants. To ensure that the filter media has not exceeded its filtering capacity, the filtering media is preferably replaced or serviced at regular intervals regardless of its current performance. To permit replacement or servicing of the filter media or the filter cartridge, the filter cartridge is generally mounted to the manifold using a quick disconnect system.
However, removing the filter cartridge can be a rather difficult task, because, for example, a user must pull the filter cartridge with an amount of force sufficient to overcome frictional forces caused by seal members of the filter cartridge rubbing against an inner wall of the manifold. Installing the filter cartridge also proves difficult, because, for example, the user must push the filter cartridge with an amount of force sufficient to not only compress seal members of the filter cartridge, but also actuate one or more check valves of the manifold.
Accordingly, a water filter with features for assisting with removal and insertion of the filter cartridge would be useful.